Festival Of American Folklife Vol.1 Stereo

Smithsonian Institution SI-100

Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: United States
Released: 1971 (?)
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, & World
[Tracklist]
A1 The Old Man and The Old Woman: The Riendeau Family (1:35)
A2 Old Rattler: Grandpa Jones (1:36)
A3 Fisher's Hornpipe, Rickett's Hornpipe, Chicken Reel: Chet Parker (1:30)
A4 Tambor De Yuca: The Rodriguez Brothers (7:06)
A5 Long Distance Call: The Muddy Waters Blues Band (7:06)
A6 Sjaj Mjesece: Aliquippa Tamburitzans (3:15)
A7 What Is The Color of the Soul of Man: Jimmy Driftwood (4:12)
B1 Carmela Reno Con Chinto: Antonio Mosquera (2:42)
B2 Bosco Stomp: Cajun Bands, Elton, Basile, Eunice And Mamou, La. (3:35)
B3 'T Ain't But Me One: Bernice Reagon (2:10)
B4 Jim and John: Ed, G. D. and Lonnie Young (3:26)
B5 I Know My Lord's Gonna Lead Me Out: The Monroe Brothers (1:25)
B6 Uncle Pen: Bill Monroe & The Blue Grass Boys (2:22)
B7 Cherry Ball Blues: Skip James (2:43)
B8 Cadirimin Ustune (The Top of My Tent): Turkish Cabaret Ensemble (3:12)
B9 Hindustan: Billie & Dede Pierce and Preservation Hall Band (2:42)
[Notes]
Recorded in Washington, D.C, 1967-69. The Festival of American Folklife, now the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, was initiated in 1967 and occurs annually over the July 4th weekend on the Mall, Washington, D.C. The 1968 festival was cosponsored by the Institute of Texan Cultures and highlighted Texas culture, including arts, crafts, agriculture, music and foods.

Early Blue Grass Music by The Monroe Brothers

Victor RA-5281

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono
Country: Japan
Released: 1963
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 The Saints Go Marching In
A2 Nine Pound Hammer Is Too Heavy
A3 On The Banks Of Ohio
A4 Roll In My Sweet Baby's Arms
A5 Goodbye Maggie
A6 On That Old Gospel Ship
A7 A Beautiful Life
B1 Have A Feast Here Tonight
B2 The Great Speckled Bird
B3 No Home No Place To Pillow My Head
B4 Darling Corey
B5 I Am Thinking Tonight Of The Old Folks
B6 Will The Circle Be Unbroken
B7 New River Train
[Credits]
Charlie Monroe (guitar/lead vocals) Bill Monroe (mandolin/harmony vocals)
[Notes]
The Monroe Brothers began as a trio of Birch, Charlie, and Bill Monroe on fiddle, guitar and mandolin respectively, performing square dance songs as well as traditional and gospel numbers. In 1932, Bill and Charlie began touring professionally with the WLS touring company as dancers, appearing with the Hoosier Hot Shots and Red Foley among others, and in 1934 secured the sponsorship of the Texas Crystals Company, a manufacturer of laxatives. The association provided the Monroes with a steady stream of radio work for over a year until competing laxative maker Crazy Water Crystals took over sponsorship of the duo while they continued working on many of the same stations. The radio appearances made the Monroe Brothers a popular live act, which prompted the interest of RCA to recording the two. In mid-February the Monroe Brothers made their first recordings for RCA's Bluebird imprint, and went on to wax 60 sides in the following two years. Their music at this point was firmly within the brother duo tradition and exhibited only hints of the style Bill Monroe would later pioneer as the Father of Bluegrass. They were set apart from other harmony duos by Bill's piercing harmonies and mandolin leads, as well as the energy and often fast tempos of their performances. The very use of the mandolin as a lead instrument would revolutionize its application in country music, as would Bill's unique fiddle-influenced style. It would be silly to label them the "rock & roll of the '30s," but certainly there was an excitement and an edge to their music that put them on the frontier of hillbilly innovation in their day. In early 1938, Bill and Charlie parted ways due to personality conflicts and business disagreements, and each formed his own band shortly thereafter. Charlie formed a group called the Kentucky Pardners, and by 1941 (after a short stint with a band called the Kentuckians and an abortive attempt at recreating the Monroe Brothers sound with partner Cleo Davis) Bill Monroe was recording again for RCA with a band he named the Blue Grass Boys. In this new group, Monroe built upon his earlier innovations and developed the distinctive and enduring style that came to be known as bluegrass. -- Biography by Greg Adams

The Railroad in Folk Song

RCA Victor LPV-532

Series: RCA Victor Vintage Series
Format: Vinyl, LP
Country: United States
Released: 1966
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Folk, Old-time
[Tracklist]
A1 J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers (6/16/39) Orange Blossom Special (2:56)
A2 Carolina Tar Heels (4/3/29) The Train's Done Left Me (3:09)
A3 Carter Family (2/25/29) The Engine One-Forty-Three (3:18)
A4 Harry "Mac" McClintock (3/16/28) Jerry, Go Ile That Car (2:38)
A5 Tenneva Ramblers (2/18/28) If I Die A Railroad Man (2:56)
A6 Blind Alfred Reed (7/28/27) The Wreck Of The Virginian (2:56)
A7 Monroe Brothers (2/17/36) Nine Pound Hammer Is Too Heavy (2:12)
A8 Jimmie Davis (5/26/31) The Davis Limited (3:09)
B1 Delmore Brothers (9/29/38) The Cannon Ball (2:12)
B2 J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers (8/6/35) The Longest Train (3:11)
B3 Vernon Dalhart (3/18/26) Wreck Of The Old 97 (3:17)
B4 Grayson & Whitter (7/31/28) The Red And Green Signal Lights
B5 Byron Parker And His Mountaineers (10/10/40) Peanut Special (2:44)
B6 Johnson Brothers (5/24/28) Crime Of The D'Autremont Brothers (3:02)
B7 Palmer McAbee (2/21/28) McAbee's Railroad Piece
B8 Paul Warmack And His Gully Jumpers (10/1/28) The Little Red Caboose Behind The Train (2:58)
[Credits]
Liner Notes: Archie Green, Reissue Producer: Mike Lipskin, Remastering: Don Miller
[Notes]
Reissue of railroad music from the 20's and 30's.

Smoky Mountain Ballads

RCA Victor – LPV 507

Series: RCA Victor Vintage Series
Format: Vinyl, LP, Compilation, Mono
Country: United States
Released: 1964
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass, & Country
[Tracklist]
A1 Cumberland Mountain Deer Race: Uncle Dave Macon (2:48)
A2 Riding On That Train Forty-Five: Wade Mainer, Zeke Morris, Steve Ledford (2:33)
A3 Down With The Old Canoe: Dixon Brothers (2:49)
A4 Chittlin' Cookin' Time In Cheatham County: Arthur Smith Trio (2:32)
A5 Where Is My Sailor Boy?: Monroe Brothers (2:45)
A6 Worried Man Blues: Carter Family (2:33)
A7 On A Cold Winter's Night: J.E. Mainer's Mountaineers (2:58)
A8 On Tanner's Farm: Gid Tanner And Riley Puckett (2:51)
B1 Darling Corey: Monroe Brothers (2:06)
B2 I'm Bound To Ride: Arthur Smith Trio (2:17)
B3 Intoxicated Rat: Dixon Brothers (2:35)
B4 Railroadin' And Gamblin': Uncle Dave Macon (2:38)
B5 The East Virginia Blues: Carter Family (2:44)
B6 Ida Red: Gid Tanner And His Skillet Lickers (2:49)
B7 Down In The Willow: Wade Mainer And Zeke Morris (2:28)
B8 There's More Pretty Girls Than One: Arthur Smith Trio (3:03)
[Notes]
The RCA Victor Vintage Series has been created to bring you selected reissued performances, unavailable for some years, by great personalities of the popular, jazz and folk music worlds. All recordings in the Vintage Series have been remastered with the latest recording techniques, but the artistic values of the performances are the only consideration for inclusion. Here are truly great recordings of the past for your present and future enjoyment.

Early Blue Grass - RCA Victor Vintage Series

RCA Victor – LPV-569

Format: Vinyl, LP, Mono, Compilation
Country: Unated States
Released: 1969
Genre: Folk, World, & Country
Style: Bluegrass
[Tracklist]
A1 Salty Dog Blues (11/14/45) Morris Brothers (2:37)
A2 All The Good Times Are Passed And Gone (8/3/37) Monroe Brothers (2:40)
A3 Little Bessie (1/25/38) Blue Sky Boys (3:06)
A4 Going To Georgia (2/14/38) Zeke Morris And Wade Mainer (2:48)
A5 Can You Forgive? (10/9/40) Roy Hall And His Blue Ridge Entertainers (3:00)
A6 End Of Memory Lane (11/7/47) Charlie Monroe And His Blue Ridge Pardners (BMI 2:45)
A7 Cryin' Holy Unto My Lord (10/7/40) Bill Monroe And His Blue Grass Boys (P.D. 2:26)
B1 The Windy Mountain (9/26/54) Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (BMI 2:32)
B2 The Chalk Up Another One (11/16/54) Jimmy Martin And Osborne Brothers (2:37)
B3 The 20/20 Vision (11/16/54) Jimmy Martin And Osborne Brothers (2:40)
B4 The No Curb Service (9/26/54) Lonesome Pine Fiddlers (BMI 2:03)
B5 Pretty Polly (8/21/56) Country Pardners (P.D. 2:15)
B6 The Save It! Save It! (11/16/54) Jimmy Martin And Osborne Brothers (1:58)
B7 Shake My Mothers Hand For Me (10/2/41) Bill Monroe And His Blue Grass Boys (P.D. 3:03)